A Christmas Match (Landon House #4) - Rose Pearson Page 0,39

in the looks and felt herself begin to grow anxious.

“I had hoped to ask you, Lady Charity, whether or not you had been in the company of Lord Hosmer of late.”

Charity frowned, her concern beginning to grow.

“It has been a few days since I was last in his company,” she replied, honestly. “He joined us at Gunter’s tearoom but since then, I have not seen him.” She bit her lip, seeing how Lord and Lady Ramsbury glanced at each other again. “I – I should also mention that he left my company very quickly indeed, thanks to the sudden return of Lady Frederica? Or the widowed Lady Norwich, as she is now.”

Lord Ramsbury let out a startled exclamation at this, his eyes wide as he stared at her.

“You – you are quite sure?” Lady Ramsbury asked, now speaking rather quickly. “You are certain of such a thing?”

Lady Hayward nodded and spoke before Charity could.

“Indeed. We were in her company only two days ago, at a dinner party. I had not met the lady before and as such, both myself and Lady Charity gained an introduction. We did not realize that she was widowed, however, until later on that evening.”

Lord Ramsbury blew out a long breath, shaking his head as he did so and passing one hand over his eyes.

“I did not think she would return to London,” he said, dropping his hand and looking towards his wife. “Lord Norwich was not the sort of gentleman who was eager to spend his time in society. I believe he was only in London that one Season to procure a bride. But to know now that he is gone and that she remains…”

He shook his head again and did not finish his sentence, leaving Lady Ramsbury to speak to Charity.

“And you say that Lord Hosmer is aware of her presence in London now?” she asked, as Charity nodded. “I am sorry if he was at all rude to you, but you must understand just how severely he feels with regard to her.”

“I quite understand,” Charity replied, firmly. “I have heard it all from him, although I have determined that I shall not judge the lady in question simply because of what I have been told. In truth, I feel a good deal of compassion for her, given that she has lost her husband at such a young age.”

Lady Ramsbury held Charity’s gaze for a few moments before she sighed and nodded, causing Charity to wonder if this meant that Lady Ramsbury approved of such considerations.

“You do not know the lady, of course, so it is wise for you to behave so,” Lady Ramsbury said quietly, as Lord Ramsbury nodded his agreement. “But now I am concerned for Lord Hosmer. He has spent the last three years lost in grief, pain and despondency and, to see the lady in question again must, I am sure, only add to his feelings at present.”

Charity hesitated before she spoke, not wishing to contradict Lady Ramsbury but being quite certain that what she had said of Lord Hosmer was a little mistaken.

“I – I believe that Lord Hosmer wished very much to no longer remain in such a state,” she said, glancing towards Lady Hayward who smiled encouragingly. “He spoke of how he had been choosing to linger in such a frame of mind and how he no longer wished to do so. He stated, quite plainly, that it had been nothing more than a choice on his part to remain in melancholy, to allow himself to be reminded of what had occurred rather than encouraging himself to discover happier times that might push away the past.” Her eyes drifted away as she smiled ruefully, her gaze now roving about the room instead of looking towards Lord and Lady Ramsbury. “He said as much just before Lady Norwich arrived,” she finished, recalling just how much Lord Hosmer’s demeanor had altered the moment he had set eyes on Lady Norwich again.

There was, within that memory, a small swell of pain that he had behaved in such a way, that he had been so quick to brush her aside and to escape from the tearoom, and now, Charity had to admit that such pain had only begun to grow with every day that she had neither seen nor heard from him. They had only just begun their acquaintance and he had only just agreed to accept her help when it came to the matter of his memories and his past,

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